


The car ride of the century

by rebelinsidewriter



Series: One Week Writing Challenge [2]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Light Angst, M/M, exes!kaisoo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-18
Updated: 2021-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-27 15:08:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30124677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebelinsidewriter/pseuds/rebelinsidewriter
Summary: In a game of push and pull, who will win? Or Jongin who keeps pushing and Kyungsoo who’s pulling, whose dominance will win over the other?
Relationships: Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Kim Jongin | Kai
Series: One Week Writing Challenge [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2213580
Comments: 4
Kudos: 4





	The car ride of the century

**Author's Note:**

> My second entry for this series :D

“Where are you?” Jongin instantly said to the other person as soon as his calls were answered. He puts the call on loudspeaker to do things while talking since he doesn’t have much time to waste. 

“Uhm, I’m on the bus,” the person answered quietly and softly, sounding tired. But Jongin is tired too and maybe a little angry, he failed to acknowledge Kyungsoo’s retired sigh when he agreed to his order. 

“Sir, he’s there at the lobby waiting for you.” His secretary peeked her head in his office to announce his arrival to him, he nodded absentmindedly typing some last things on his computer, “bring him to the parking lot, outside my car. Tell him to wait for me.” Wendy, her secretary nods her head, closing the door after her. Jongin types more things on his laptop before closing it and pulls his coat from the back of his chair. His employees nod their head in respect when he passed by their cubicle before entering the elevator his good secretary prepared for him. 

After hopping off the elevator he walks to his car spotting a small man beside him, not leaning or anything but standing rigid beside his luxury SUV car, he walks until he’s standing beside the said man. 

“You have a license right?” Kyungsoo nods although looking perplexed. Jongin nods, handing him his car keys before walking back to the passenger seat. “Drive for me, we’re going to my hometown, mom needs to see me.” he got in and was putting on his seatbelt when he noticed Kyungsoo was still standing from where he left him. So he went out of his car, “It’s past 9 pm and you’re still standing there? Come on, I want to be there earlier.” His voice shocked Kyungsoo and hurriedly went to the driver’s seat. After a few minutes his car could be seen driving out of the company basement parking lot. 

Jongin’s company is busy as fuck these days, with the current release of new stuff and fixing what was left behind from the past release they were busy. All of them barely get sleep, but Jongin was quick to tend to his employees saying they don’t have to compromise their health for their work. But his employees, just like their boss, are perfectionists, always want things to be done with utmost care and would like it to be detailed as much as possible, so they all collectively refused to go home early that day. 

Jongin called his secretary minutes after driving out to order food for everyone left in the company, explaining that he had an emergency to attend to his family, and would be very much open for calls to assist them. 

Kyungsoo on the other hand, just got out of his work, part time, to be clear, and wants nothing but to rest his beat up body on his bed. His neck is aching, his back is aching, his bones are aching. Everything is aching all at the same time, he can’t keep track of what’s really hurting. 

He was close to his stop but received Jongin’s call and he agreed instantly, saying bye to his most awaited rest. Actually, even when he can’t sleep, he just wants to rest his body, maybe his mind too as it has been quite loud, hindering him from sleeping peacefully. 

\--

An hour into the drive Kyungsoo looks on his side to see Jongin still on his laptop typing furiously with his brows furrowed. Kyungsoo knows exactly what this looks like, this Jongin on the passenger seat is the one who doesn’t want to be distured when he’s in his element. Kyungsoo knows what would happen if he tries to disturb the man’s concentration, no small talk then. He just opted to look at the cars passing by on his front before driving away as soon as the green light was on. 

Jongin can’t stop typing, all of the reports needed are on his brain, and he wants to transfer this to a document as soon as possible so his secretary could edit and he could review it again before passing it. But he’s on his last paragraph and last report and his eyes are closing in on him. Heavy eyelids begging him to let them rest, his eyes that are watery from being exposed to radiation for so long. But he pushed himself to type the last sentence, emailed it to Wendy, before he closed his own device and harshly put it in the drawer on the dashboard before reclining his chair back for a good night sleep. 

He eyes the time on his gold watch on his right arm, 1 am, with that he closed his eyes, shutting down himself from the world,not caring for anything but himself. He could be selfish, and he knows it. 

Kyungsoo eyes Jongin to see him asleep, peacefully he might add. Kyungsoo wants to sleep too, maybe he could park somewhere to at least rest his eyes that are begging for an eye shut. Being restless for days and suddenly driving from down south to upper north, is something he doesn’t plan for a friday night. Heck he doesn’t even have extra clothes with him to change something into, but with Jongin he just went along. Like how he always does. 

Kyungsoo continues driving, knowing the road by heart to how many times they’ve driven past this familiar road signs, but back then he was in the passenger seat, making sure his driver would have someone to talk to when driving at night. He would appreciate it if he-Jongin- would do the same, but the man is still sleeping. 

After driving past numerous open highways, Soo’s stomach started growling, he realized it was close to 3 am and he still hadn't eaten anything aside from a piece of tart his workmate shared to him, and that was from yesterday. 

He contemplated if Jongin would appreciate it if he snatched some time to order food for them, or coffee he badly needed coffee, if it meant adding another time to their travel time. But in the end, Kyungsoo turns left entering a drive through plus his eyes need some eye shut too. It’s been hurting since an hour ago. After putting his order he orders for Jongin too, knowing his favorite meal from the heart and he orders a steaming cup of coffee too, with too many espresso shots once could drink. 

After successfully getting their meals, he parked the car in the empty parking lot to take a sip of his coffee while it's still hot and thankfully it instantly warmed his insides. But instead of feeling awake, he started feeling drowsy and extremely sleepy but he fights the sleepiness for a couple of times but is always defeated. After his nth sip from his coffee, he sighs putting an alarm for an hour on his phone, an hour only and he’ll be good to drive again. 

Jongin woke up from his long sleep, still disoriented and is trying to see where they are. But when his eyes land on the familiar gas station in front of where the car is parked, he knows they still got a good 3-5 hours of driving. He noticed the food paper bag on the front console and the still now cold coffee in the cupholder, he knew the man driving for him bought them food. 

Ever since Kyungsoo got in the basement of the company, he still hasn't looked at the man properly. Now that the man is asleep with his head resting on the window and his legs folded in front of the steering wheel, socked feets on the leather seat, Jongin looks at the man. 

He doesn't know what to feel about Kyungsoo, he keeps pushing this man away from him afraid to get hurt again, but Kyungsoo’s been pulling him, too decided to bring him back. He hates it. He hates how visible the fatigue in the man’s face yet he still forced him to do it, but he can’t blame him. Out of all the things Kyungsoo made him experience, this is still nothing. He wants to get back to Kyungsoo, not exactly like what he did, but something closer to that feeling. 

Making him drive for hours to meet his family, fully knowing how his family feels about Kyungsoo, is pure evil, Jongin knows that. He knows Kyungsoo knows that too, but the man is determined to bring Jongin back so maybe this set-up is okay for him. 

Jongin looks at the man’s feet, still wearing the mixed match socks how he did from the past, years after almost nothing had changed, he laughs but stopped soon as he hears an alarm blared inside his car. Kyungsoo fidgets from his seat waking up from his sleep, Jongin fixes his own making it look like that he had just woken up too. 

From his peripheral vision, he saw how Kyungsoo drinks the coffee in one go, before switching the gears on drive, and they’re back on the road. 

Jongin opts to look outside, admiring the buildings they passed by and the occasionally opened bars they saw with people spilling from the outside. It’s been months since he last saw his family, since it’s such a hassle to drive a couple of hours to and fro. He doesn’t know what emergency his mother is pertaining to, but he obliged anyway, afraid to upset his mom, but also wanting to see her. 

Whilst admiring the road they were passing by as if he hadn't seen those million of times, he drifted off to sleep again. 

He woke up and the sun looks like it’s been up from a while now, and they’re a good 45 minutes away from their destination. He knows since he saw Kyungsoo fidgeting on the steering wheel. He feels bad now, seeing how Kyungsoo is nervous about meeting his family again, ‘but if he wants to get me back, he’ll have to meet my family sooner or later’ Jongin justifies his decision on his mind. 

He makes last minute calls to his secretary, and fixes himself and his bag before they arrive at the family house. Upon entering the gate, he saw how many cars were there, and he recognized at least one or two, “where should I park?” After hours, they had their first talk, aside from Kyungsoo humming along to the music in the car, this is the first time the man actually talked to him. Maybe he closed himself to Kyungsoo, so the latter did not try to open a conversation with him although out the ride. 

“Just there,” he points the area beside a red SUV and Kyungsoo parks the car. 

“Until when are we gonna stay here?” Kyungsoo asks facing him and he can clearly see the bags under his eyes, and is clearly begging him to sleep. Jongin feels bad. 

“I don’t know, maybe until tomorrow?” Kyungsoo nods, “but I don’t have clothes” he continues, Jongin nods too, “we’ll figure it out.” 

The two walk to the front door, with Kyungsoo falling short behind Jongin. They opened the door, and were welcomed by a nanny and they were brought to the main house and by the noise they could hear, Jongin knows they’re all here. He feels fucked, he didn’t know his mom called a family meeting, meaning his sisters and their own family are there. He didn’t mean to set up Kyungsoo, but by the looks of it he is. 

Jongin enters the room and is welcomed by loud squeals from his niece and nephew and a smile from his sisters and mom, but everything goes quiet when Kyungsoo walks in. Hesitantly as the maid forced him inside. His hands were fidgeting the ring on his left hand and continuously bowing to everyone in the room, with eyes cast down the whole time.  
He only raised his eyes to look for Jongin, and he saw in the other’s eyes nervousness. Jongin stepped up, “I ask him to drive for me, what are we doing here today mom?” he explained briefly and was quick to change the topic from Kyungsoo. 

In short, his mom just missed her kids and her grandchild. She wanted to see them all, Jongin could feel that there’s something more than missing them, but he’ll figure it out later. 

For the meantime, Jongin excused him and Kyungsoo to freshen up, he left the room not missing the looks his sisters were giving him. 

\---

Despite not being in Jongin’s room for a long time, Kyungsoo feels like he’s home. He feels like he still has a space inside this room, feels like everything is okay from his side. He sat down on the side of the bed, he knew how this bed was the witness to their numerous proclamations of love, and he can’t help but smile bitterly while staring at the white sheets. 

Jongin emerges from the closet, handing him a pants and a shirt, “everything is the same, do you still remember it?” Kyungsoo knows Jongin doesn't mean the question to be that way. 

By how long he’s gone, Soo knows that Jongin is not taunting him. 

He nods, entering the shower. He did not take a long time, just wanted to really wash away his work from his body the day before. While showering, he’s thinking of where he could help not wanting to be a guest that needs to be taken care of. Also, wanting to hide himself from the family. He’s nervous as fuck, he can’t deny it as things between him and Jongin did not end nicely, and maybe the family knows it too by the way their eyes looked at him the moment he stepped in the room. 

\---

Kyungsoo successfully found a place in the kitchen with the maids, he’s helping prepare the foods as he knows how the family loved home cooked meals when they gather together. Kyungsoo is busy chopping vegetables when one maid, one he’s not familiar with, actually all of the staff were new, talks to him. 

“Have you slept?” he confirms if he’s the one she’s talking to, he shook his head no. 

“Figured, you look like you need coffee, a lot of it.” she said before continuing to chop carrots, “yeah,” one maid stirring the meal adds in the conversation, “your eyes are like really tired, and your whole body just looks like it needs sleep.” he laughs at the two, getting the meat to cut nicely, “yeah, haven’t slept for days, sleeping is hard. You know?” the two maids look at him, not understanding anything he’s saying “how could sleeping be so hard? you just have to lay down, close your eyes then you're asleep.” 

Kyungsoo laughs at the two, if only sleeping is that easy. 

\---

He’s on his third cup of coffee, and he’s still thinking of what to do. He doesn’t feel comfortable meeting up with Jongin’s family yet and he knows they are not okay with him being there too. He just doesn't know what to say to them.

‘I’m sorry I left your son, for my own sake?’ or ‘I saved myself before I drowned your son with me’? Should he tell them that? Should he tell them that he’s not sorry for pulling himself away from her youngest? But that will only make them mad at him. 

He doesn’t realize but the person he’s not ready to see yet stood beside him while he’s admiring the garden on the back side of the house. Soo repeatedly bows to the woman, shyness crippling from his hair to the tip of his toes. 

“Why are you here Kyungsoo?” Mrs. Kim asks straight to the point, she came here for business not for small talks, Soo assumes. 

“I drove for Jongin, Ma’am.” he answers politely. 

“No, I mean here? Back here?” the woman eyes him smiling but her eyes are everything but comfort or fondness. He understood her fully, she’s a parent and Jongin is her son. Kyungsoo? He’s just someone who hurt his son, of course the indifference of approach is understood. 

“Trying to get back Jongin, Ma’am.” he states the truth, as he knows Mrs.Kim would appreciate it if he answered truthfully. 

“Why? You left him the moment you had the chance. What would happen if you were given another one like that? You’ll leave my son again?” her tone is soft but the intensity of every word is heavy, Kyungsoo can’t help but to gulp. He shakes his head, own voice betraying him. 

“I don’t trust you,” was the last words she said before she walked away from him. 

During the whole day the family enjoyed their time while Kyungsoo stayed with the maids, helped them prepare meals, even washed the dishes, Kyungsoo did it with them. Jongin not once looked for him the whole day, fully understanding him since he’s just someone who’ll bring and take Jongin home. 

Jongin has been calling Kyungsoo on the phone but is left unanswered, he hasn’t seen the man ever since they parted after changing that morning. He doesn’t know what is happening to him, he should be letting the man do his own thing, let him find where he should sleep on his own. He should be pushing the man away from him, but it looks like he’s pulling himself closer to Kyungsoo in his own free will. But what is he doing at 12 am on the stairs, asking one maid if they’ve seen Kyungsoo. 

Gladly, he asked the right one, he was brought to one of the quarters of the maid from the left wing, the maid said Kyungsoo is there on the bed but what welcomed them is Kyungsoo already in deep sleep, with the thin blanket covering his body. 

“Ahh good thing he’s asleep. He looks like he’s about to pass out.” the maid says quietly before fixing the aircon so it would hit Kyungsoo. Jongin looks at Kyungsoo’s sleeping form, feeling sorry for the man for basically tiring him the entire day. He retreats back to his room determined to drive them back home instead of Kyungsoo. 

But that didn’t happen, as he got a call he had to attend while they’re about to leave the house. Making Kyungsoo drive them back home, now looking like he got sleep but is not enough since his bags look only worse. 

On one long stop light, after Jongin’s hours conference call, Kyungsoo’s phone received a call too. He answers it by pressing the device in his left ear, he can’t hear anything but Kyungsoo’s responses. 

“What are you doing there? I’m not home.....”

“Yeah, you’ve got keys right? I gave you one….” 

“Just wait for me, I’ll meet you there…”

“Bye Seonho, hmmm.” Kyungsoo chuckles after ending the call and just in time for the light to turn green. 

Jongin feels the two of them are too close, because of how relaxed Kyungsoo looks while talking to him. Kyungsoo has a way of talking to people he’s comfortable with and to others that don’t, and Jongin knows all of those. He can’t help but to think who that man could be, so finally he talked to Kyungsoo. 

“Who’s that? And what keys?” Jongin questions while looking straight ahead, “Seonho a friend, and that’s my apartment keys.” Kyungsoo says wincing how wrong that might sound to Jongin, “you gave your friend a key to your apartment?” he winces how Jongin sounds annoyed and irritated, “yeah, he’s just a friend Jongin. And that’s for an emergency.” he replies turning right. 

“A friend huh? Last time I checked friends don’t do that.” Kyungsoo eyes him, “and what emergency?” Jongin is now fully facing him with his brows almost meeting in the middle. 

Kyungsoo nods, stopping a little to let a car switch to their lanes, “yeah someone almost broke in while I was sleeping and they basically locked me inside my room. Yeah i gave him that after.” From the way Kyungsoo said it, it feels like it is nothing to him, but Jongin feels scared for some unknown reason. 

“Why didn’t you call me?” Jongin asks furiously, “Will you answer the phone?” Kyungsoo questions him dejectedly. 

“Of course not, why would I answer the calls from someone who disappeared out of nowhere?” 

“You knew I was leaving Jongin, I told you. I did not disappear” Kyungsoo replies, hand tightly holding the wheel. 

“You did not? Oh come on Kyungsoo,” he laughs as if what Kyungsoo is saying is so humorous, “you stopped answering my calls, you were gone from your apartment. Now tell me, isn’t that disappearing?” 

“You knew all along Jongin, you knew I was leaving. But you can’t accept the fact that I am, so you turned blind.” Kyungsoo fights back, tired of making people invalidate his feelings. 

“Who wants their boyfriend to leave huh Kyungsoo? You were so decided, it’s scaring me.” 

“Because I need to leave Jongin!” 

“You left as if I was nothing? You left everything here, as if we’re nothing. You did not even tell me when you’re leaving, you just disappeared as if I didn’t matter to you.” 

“Because I know you’re gonna stop me, don’t lie to me. I know you’re gonna stop me.” 

“Of course I would stop you! I loved you, of course I would stop you! We were happy before you left, but you destroyed all of those.” Jongin looks at him from the passenger seat, his angry voice mirrors his face. Kyungsoo kept driving, evening out his breathing. 

“Yeah we were happy, but I am not Jongin. I was drowning, you knew how my life here works, I am drowning. I wanted to escape for so long. Jongin, for so long I wanted to breathe, I want to be able to breathe,” Kyungsoo sighs heavily, fighting his tears as he remembered himself from the past, how he wanted to let the drowning feeling consume him but he fights back for Jongin as he didn’t want to bring him down with him under. “For once after years, I put myself first, to save myself and to not bring you down with me. Do you know how hard it is there from below?” 

Jongin can see how Kyungsoo’s lip is quivering and how tight his hold is on the wheel, but he keeps driving. 

“If I didn’t leave the first moment that I had? Don’t you think what would happen to you? To us? Don’t you think you’d be here right now? No, I would have probably dragged you down till we were both struggling to breathe.” Kyungsoo quietly says, lowering the speed as he calmed down, good thing they are on a road where little to no cars were present. 

They were silent for a while, but the silence was deafening, no amount of music could remove the elephant in the car. After what it feels like an hour, Kyungsoo spoke again, surprising him but he did not let his eyes leave from the outside. 

“Your mom asked me what I’m doing here, I told her the truth, I wanted you back. I came back when I know I wouldn’t be slipping again to that whirlpool, when I’m sure that I won’t drag you down. I came back, to pull you back to an arm reach, because right now? You’re just there, but you feel so far.” 

Jongin doesn’t know what to answer to that but he feels the sincerity in his voice, he feels how Soo really wants him back. He now understand everything, why Soo did what he did. He loves Kyungsoo so much that he wants to be with him, everywhere, even from the below. Kyungsoo distanced himself to avoid self destructing with him, if he’s there, he realized he wouldn't be here. But sometimes understanding doesn’t equate to being okay. Soo left something on Jongin that not an explanation could fix, not even his sincerity. 

“You’re not even sorry for what you did?” 

“I’m sorry for leaving you, I really am. But what I did is to save myself and you from me, so yes, I’m not sorry.” it doesn’t make sense but it also makes sense to Jongin. What is Kyungsoo doing to him? He wants to push Kyungsoo away from him, to protect himself, but he feels like pulling him closer at the same time. Maybe hug him like how he used to, kiss him to feel that sweetness again, touch him to feel that warmth he can’t get anywhere, laugh with him till he cries, cry with till both of their faces are bloated, everything they used to do. 

The car ride was quieter than when they’re going up north, it was awkward too. After their outburst, their talk after Kyungsoo left, it was really overwhelming. They both took their time organizing their thoughts, with how long they’re travelling to home, this is their chance.

Kyungsoo is glad how they made it alive in Jongin’s apartment with how distracted he’s been. 

They both went out of the car carrying each of their bags, they stood face to face in front of the car’s hood. Under the basement parking’s light and grey walls, they looked at each other's eyes. 

Kyungsoo hands Jongin’s car key back. 

“Thank you,” for telling me things, for saving me from destruction which is you, for driving for me, for the memories, for trying again, for the sincerity, for the love, for everything. 

“I’m sorry,” for hurting you, for almost putting you in a dangerous place, for scars you never wanted to have in the first place, for engaging you in my arms, for everything. 

They nod to each other for the last time, Kyungsoo steps a little to his left, Jongin to his right, before Jongin walks away first passing by him. Finally, after standing idle, Kyungsoo walks away too, until he’s no longer inside the dark basement but is seeing the city lights.

**Author's Note:**

> the characters are flawed! Leave your reaction on the comment section, and kudos are highly appreciated! Thank you for supporting me :D
> 
> inspo: that one LONG car ride I experienced that cleared the shit out of my mind :D


End file.
